The present invention relates generally to lawn maintenance equipment and more specifically to a system adapted to collect grass clippings and other lawn debris in a manner which minimizes operator discomfort and facilitates the disposal of collected material.
A variety of systems have been proposed for collecting the clippings and other lawn debris generated by the operation of rotary mower blades. Many of such systems involve the use of rigid or flexible containers, sometimes having disposable bag liners, which must be frequently emptied due to their small size. Even when larger bags are provided, this frequent emptying is a tedious task which decreases operational efficiency, particularly when large expanses of lawn area, such as golf courses, parks, and athletic fields are being maintained.
Several conventional grass collection systems employ a supplemental blower to enhance the flow of clippings into the container. However, the advantages provided by these blowers are often offset by their significant installation and maintenance costs.
A further drawback of conventional grass collection systems is that some provision must be made for the exhaust of air and fine dust from the collection container. It is often the case that the collection container and its discharge outlet are located in close proximity to the operator, who is then exposed to irritating dust particles and exhaust air.
In addition, many conventional grass collection systems fail to provide the operator with a readily visible indicator of the level of clippings and debris in the closed collection container. Without such an indicator, the operator must frequently check the level of grass in the container, consuming valuable time, or wait until the container overflows, causing a cleanup problem.
Thus, there is a need for a lawn mower grass collection system which is easily and quickly emptied, which does not require a supplemental blower, which diverts dust and exhaust away from the operator, and which provides an indication of when the container is filled.